Local
LGBT ‘fallen heroes’ honored at National Police Week event
Thousands participate in annual D.C. commemoration
Between 150 and 200 LGBT members of law enforcement agencies were among the more than 25,000 police and law enforcement officers from throughout the U.S. and many foreign countries who came to D.C. last week to participate in events associated with National Police Week.
Among the events LGBT law enforcement members and their families and friends attended was the annual LGBT Fallen Heroes Memorial Service, which was held May 13 at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial located in Arlington National Cemetery.
“Each year on May 13, many gather to honor the lives of those who are no longer with us and give recognition to their survivors,” according to a statement by the LGBT Fallen Heroes Fund, the group that organizes the LGBT Fallen Heroes service.
Lt. Brett Parson of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department who oversees the department’s LGBT Liaison Unit, served as a host to the visiting LGBT law enforcement members, who, like their straight counterparts, are police officers, firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and members of the armed services.
All of them came, according the National Police Week website, to honor their comrades who have died in the line of duty. On the evening of May 13, after the LGBT Fallen Heroes Service, the 31st Annual Candlelight Vigil to honor all law enforcement members who died in the line of duty was held on the National Mall.
Among the LGBT participants in the Police Week events, “Some are out, others are not,” Parson said. “While there is time set aside to reunite and socialize, the main reason for their pilgrimage to D.C. every year is to participate in several events that mark the spirit of the solemn occasion.”
Parson noted that the LGBT Fallen Heroes Fund was founded by Det. Scott Gunn of the Anne Arundel County, Md., Police Department, now retired, and his husband Nicholas Batz.
“They organize and produce a memorial service to recognize the families and loved ones of LGBT police officers, firefighters, paramedics and EMTs, and members of the armed services who have died,” Parson said in a statement. “This service serves to treat their significant others as true family, as many times we know they have been excluded from the official events,” he said.
The group’s website says it is also raising funds for a memorial site to honor fallen LGBT law enforcement members at D.C.’s Congressional Cemetery.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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